FISH STORY SONG

© Words & Music by Tom Rush / From the Dennis Warner Album “Beep Beep”

 

Well I went to the river and I caught me a fish

Brought him back home and I put him in a dish

Well I was in for a big surprise

I never saw a fish with such big blue eyes

            Stoke up the stove, get down the skillet

            Got an empty tummy but I’m a gonna fill it

            Get out the salt, get out the pepper

            A fish dinner’s good but I can make it better

            Deedle leedle leedle leedele lee dee dee
            Deedle leedle lee dee dee

 

Well I heard a voice say, “Excuse me please

Salt will make me itchy, pepper makes me sneeze”

I wasn’t happy it was just my luck- it

Seemed I better quick put him back in the bucket

 

Well the fish said, “Sir, there’s a time to be humble

I know you’re in a hurry I can hear your tummy rumble

I’m a magic fish, it’s a big mistake

To treat a magic fish like a piece of steak”

 

(CHORUS)

 

Well my head I’m shakin, the floor I’m walkin’

How do I cook a fish that’s talkin’

He said, “I’ll tell a story if you let me live

I got lots of good stories but to get you gotta give”

 

So he told me stories ‘bout Paul Revere

And old Paul Bunyan and the grizzly bear

I told him the one about the man from Nantucket

The fish did a flip and he giggled in the bucket

 

(CHORUS)

 

So we swapped stories ‘til the sun came up-per

I gave him some bread crumbs and I had peanut butter

I said, “Mr. Fish, what are we gonna do?

You’re supposed to feed me now I’m a feedin’ you”

 

So I took him to the river and I put him back in

Now every evening I go and visit him

We’ll tell stories ‘til it’s late at night

Then I’ll go home and I’ll turn out the light

 

            Damper down the stove, hang up the skillet

            I got an empty tummy gonna have to live with it

            Put away the salt, put away the pepper

            A fish dinner’s good, but a fish friend’s better

            Deedle leedle leedle leedele lee dee dee
            Deedle leedle lee dee dee